Sayers (4-1 MMA, 0-0 SF) won’t have any stars leaning over his portion of the fence come tonight’s event. He’s just a regular guy whose day starts at 5 a.m. every morning when he goes to work as a mover, and it ends at 9 p.m. when he and his three kids head back from the gym.

That may change after Saturday night. After years of Toughman contests and a failed boxing career, Sayers has gone after MMA with a passion. Introduced to the sport by UFC original Pat Smith, Sayers has finished all of his fights inside of one round. All but one has gone his way, and all of them have come by submission.

But it’s his heavy hands that occupy the bulk of his highlight reel, and he’s going up against an opponent who’s won the bulk of his pro fights by stoppage due to strikes.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to change my life, as well as my kid’s life, and to be able to spread the gospel of Jesus,” he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

“Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Henderson” takes place at Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill., and the event’s main card airs on Showtime.

Faith plays a central role in his life, and Sayers’ work inside the cage is as much about being a good role model as it about finishing his opponents.

“It’s the things that happen after the fight and before the fight that are most important to me,” he said. “You can give back to the fans and let them know that hard work pays off, and you can give them a message about God.”

Hard work has pretty much defined his life so far. A mover by day, he carts his kids to practices every day and tries to instill in them a work ethic that’s allowed him to pursue his dreams while being a provider.

Sayers, who trains out of Grappler’s Edge in Denver, doesn’t want his two kids to become fighters, though they often get on the mat with him or hit the speed bag. Like most parents, he’d rather they become doctors or lawyers. But he believes what he’s doing is setting a good example.

“It’s a discipline thing,” he said. “Being in the MMA background, they know I have to be dedicated and train every day to get to the level I’m at now.”

But it’s a compromise. His kids support him and cheer him on while he tries to give them a better life.

Sayer has a long way to go before he’ll be able to do that through his fighting career, but a win over Brunson is a good start. Brunson is a three-time Division II All-American wrestler who counts Renzo Gracie and Greg Jackson among his teachers.

It’s clear who the favorite is on paper, but Sayers isn’t paying attention to that.

“I’ve been doing it too long for nerves to kick in,” he said. “You always got that adrenaline pumping when you’re fighting, but at the same time, with God in my corner, I’m not afraid of anything.”

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